Breaking the Rules
by miley-avril
Summary: In the aftermath of almost dying at Jefferson's hands, Emma breaks down. August is there to pick up the pieces. Emma/August. Major spoilers for 1X17 "Hat Trick".


**I CAN'T SEEM TO GET THESE STUPID PLOT BUNNIES OUT OF MY HEAD! I PROMISE I WILL UPDATE MY OTHER STORIES REALLY SOON. I'M NOT AN AUGUST/EMMA SHIPPER, BUT I COULDN'T MAKE THIS WORK WITH GRAHAM, SO THERE YOU GO.**

**DON'T OWN IT. ADAM AND EDDIE ARE GENUISES.**

Faintly, August hears banging but can't make out wear it's coming from. He groans and rolls over, deciding it's just one of his fellow guests at Granny's Inn. It becomes louder and more insistent, and he can't ignore it. Groaning again, he checks his bedside clock. The LED lights read _2:30_. Even in his foggy half-asleep state, it occurs to him that whoever it is must really need something if they're at his door this early. He rolls out of bed and puts his robe on, and shuffles to the door where he's met with a shaking Emma. She looks as if she's about to fall apart, and he's suddenly fully alert. He opens the door wider and steps aside, and the blonde walks in.

"Are you okay?" August asks, even though he knows it's a stupid question.

"I'm sorry it's so early." She says, gesturing out the window to the dark skies of Storybrooke. "It's just, Mary Margaret went through the same thing so she isn't much help." Emma's voice breaks, and she bites her bottom lip, fighting back tears.

"What happened?" He leads her to the couch.

"We got kidnapped." She answers after a moment. "And he got away. I have no idea where he is, but we both saw him. We know what he looks like, August. He knows where we live, and…" Finally, the tears and emotion she'd been reigning in all day claw their way to the surface and she starts sobbing. Never having been one to comfort people, August drapes an arm around a trembling shoulder. It kills him to see her like this. He may not know her very well, but he does know that this isn't the woman he sees every day, glaring right back at Regina and fighting for what's right. He knows that Emma Swan does not break. She does not cry. She does not let anyone see her vulnerable. So then why is she breaking her own rules?

"It's going to be okay." He shifts her so she's forced to look him in the eyes and believe him, and he feels something hard hit his leg. He looks down and sees her gun. Only then does it truly sink in how scared she is. "You really think he's going to kill you?"

"Yes." She whispers.

"Maybe we should be with Mary Margaret?" He suggests.

"He was stalking me, not her. Besides, I left a note with a steak knife on top in case he does break in, and a trip wire to alert her." She forces out, hands balled into fists, trying to regain some control.

"Who was, Emma?" He prods, hoping he is masking the anger he feels swelling inside him.

"Jefferson."

"Jefferson who?"

"I didn't do a search. If Regina knew then she'd know that Mary Margaret…" She pauses, not sure if she should trust him or not. "Regina can't know."

"You can trust me." He says, placing a hand on top of hers. She weighs the pros and cons of each side, and he can tell. "What have I done thus far to make your faith in me waver?"

"I-I…" Emma's at a loss for words, realizing there's no reason for her to believe he'll betray her. "She tried to escape. That's how Jefferson got her." The mere phrase and mention of his name is enough to send chills through her spine, and her eyes fill with tears again. All he can do is watch as she tries so hard to be stoic. "I was so scared, August. I've had more than a few guns pointed at me in the past, but it's never mattered whether I lived or died. No one would care. But now people care about me, and I have a reason to live." The sobs begin racking her body again, and this time, she doesn't even bother fighting them. This scares him more than he'd like to admit. After a few minutes they subside, and she's left hiccupping. Once he feels she's calm enough for him to get her a tissue, he does.

"Here you go." He says, handing it to her.

"Thanks." She offers him a watery smile, dabs at her eyes, and looks down, embarrassed.

"What?" August asks, scrutinizing her.

"This." Emma points to herself. "This isn't me. I don't do mental break downs. Not usually, anyway."

"To be honest I was surprised when it was you at the door." He says. Of course they have to joke, and put their walls back up after allowing somebody to see they actually have emotions. "And this was completely unexpected."

"Everyone thinks I'm so tough." She gives a humorous laugh. "But maybe I'm not."

"You are." He says. "You're also human. You almost died tonight, Emma. You have every right to be terrified, hurt, angry… whatever. It's normal."

"Yeah." She sighs. "You're right. I better get going in case Mary Margaret wakes up. I don't want her panicking, thinking he took me again." She stands up.

"Tell Mary Margaret that I'm glad she was acquitted." He follows suit.

"I will. Thanks, August." She pauses at the door, hand on knob, before turning around. She stands there for a moment before wrapping her arms around his neck. He hugs her back.

"You know, next time, you could just hug me instead of almost getting killed as an excuse to." He smiles, and he feels hers against his cheek.

"Good night." She opens the door.

"It's good morning, actually." He calls as it closes.

**I WOULD LOVE FEEDBACK AS THIS IS MY FIRST EMMA/AUGUST STORY. THANKS FOR READING!**


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